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According to KY3 (television) there are a number of gangs in Springfield, including Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Latin Kings, Surenos out of Chicago, Bloods and Crips out of Los Angeles, and MS 13 out of Central America.

It just makes me sick. I've also read a recent article, either at KY3 or at the newspaper website, on the subject. It seems that the community and law enforcement doesn't seem overly concerned because it hasn't festered too far out of hand yet.

Speaking from a position of experience, if you guys don't get a handle on it fast, I mean real fast, you'll get so far behind that you'll never be able to catch up. Placement and enforcement of court injunctions against the gangs, holding the parents of juvenile members financially accountable for damages, long jail times for the criminals, kicking them out of their subsidized rental homes, allow and require landlords of properties with gang activies to evict the tennants without other cause, and basically taking a hard line will go far to solving the problem. Just like anything else, if there's another path of less resistance, they will go there and leave your community alone.

You have to actively demand and support proactive law enforcement by your local and state agencies. Don't be quiet. It's your community, not the community of a bunch of criminals, so don't sit on the sidelines and turn it over to them or their outspoken mouth-piece spokes-holes. It needs to be done or you've already lost the battle.

The more heartfelt members of the community can then try to save the remaining pre-gangsters who haven't already entered the lifestyle. That's a big job and it will require overcoming cultural failures within the communities and families that feed the gang membership.

I just googled MS13 since it sounded like a gang I had heard about and here just a tiny overview of lots of information that is out there about them.

I found a Newsweek story about the notorious street gang Mara Salvatrucha or MS 13 (mentioned in the KY3 story about Springfield, MO's gang problem).

Newsweek called the MS13 the Most Dangerous Gang in America and says this exceptionally vicious Central American gang is considered the fastest-growing, most violent of the nation's street gangs.

MS13 was born 20 years ago in Los Angeles in a neighborhood of Central American refugees. MS-13 is spread throughout Central America and the United States. In the past five years, L.A. alone has seen more than 23,000 violent crimes attributed to gangs, according to police.

The marabuntas, or maras, as they are known (after a deadly species of local ants) are coming back into the United States bringing rampant crime, committing thousands of murders, and contributing to a flourishing drug trade.

Oprah had a story on this gang from Central America as did Reader's Digest. Many times they chose their victims at random.

Newsweek had a story about the notorious street gang Mara Salvatrucha or MS 13 (mentioned in the KY3 story about Springfield, MO's gang problem). Newsweek called the MS13 the Most Dangerous Gang in America and says this exceptionally vicious Central American gang is considered the fastest-growing, most violent of the nation's street gangs.
MS13 was born 20 years ago in Los Angeles in a neighborhood of Central American refugees. MS-13 is spread throughout Central America and the United States. In the past five years, L.A. has seen more than 23,000 violent crimes attributed to gangs, according to police.

The marabuntas, or maras, as they are known (after a deadly species of local ants) are coming back into the United States bringing rampant crime, committing thousands of murders, and contributing to a flourishing drug trade.

Oprah had a story on this gang from Central America as did Reader's Digest. Many times they chose their victims at random.

Well....I was shocked to find out there was a meth problem in Missouri so I was certainly more surprised to see there is a gang problem in Springfield, MO.

ditto the above. Gang issues are awful out here in New Jersey and unfortunately politicians tend to ignore this issue until it is really out of control, because it's not a popular or well-received topic. Demand it be dealt with...write letters, do whatever you have to do...all are dangers and yes, MS-13 is probably the worst, at least it is out here.

The Bloods and the Crips are very active here in Vegas. There are several other gangs out here too but not as active or should I say bold as the Bloods and the Crips. It's so bad out here that the schools have banned students from wearing certain colors to school!

[quote=c3bunny;327598]The Bloods and the Crips are very active here in Vegas. There are several other gangs out here too but not as active or should I say bold as the Bloods and the Crips. It's so bad out here that the schools have banned students from wearing certain colors to school! :

If something is not done real soon the gangs in Springfiled will be just as bad as the gangs in Los Angeles and Vegas Ect. It will only get worse, I have seen this happen before in Palmdale & Lancaster Ca.

The US incarcerates more people per year than any other county in the world. We account for 1/4 of all people, worldwide, in prison. Why dont we force up the minimum wage so people can really live on it?? Why dont we force companies to have health insurance for employees?? Immigrants would not be flooding the borders, if our government made the businesses pay a living wage!!
Americans would then want those jobs!! The prison system has grown each year, so has crime. In my book that means it aint working. It costs us nearly $35,000 per inmate per year, and what do we pay to single moms for welfare?? Our kids need a mom at home, yet most families, not on welfare, both parents work. We have let the rich feed us full of fear and hatred toward the poor, and i ask why we swallowed it?? Heck, more than 50% of us do not even vote!!
Wake up, participate!! They dont even have drug rehab in the prisons for these people, then they get out and their record will not allow them to get a college loan or job!! It doesnt take a genius to figure out that they want to eat, buy cloths, sleep in a bed and will do something to get those things..
sorry about the ramble

I couldn't disagree with you more. Government interference with private contracts, higher taxes, higher unemployment and socialist economics are not the answer to the gang problem in Springfield or anywhere else.

That said, if we are to continue this discussion in general without keeping it specific to a place in Missouri, then it should be take to the "Other Topics" forum. Send me a private message if you decide to do that. I love to debate this stuff.

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